[Here are the notes with embedded links from the talk last night. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask! We look forward to journeying with you this Advent season.]
Welcome
The God who was, who is, and who will be forever is with you. And also with you.
Introduction
Tonight is a night to explore ways to deepen our connection with the Holy and with each other during our Advent season. We will look, briefly, at the Advent season in the Christian calendar. From there, we will look at the themes guiding us at FPC during the next four weeks. And we will conclude our time exploring a few practices that will lead us deeper into the theme of creating space for the Christ child while we wait.
The Opening Prayer
God of creation and liberation open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy so that we may share in Christ’s wisdom and become one with him when he comes in glory, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
What Is Advent?
Advent is a season of waiting, expectation, hope, and liberation as we prepare for the wonder and mystery of the Incarnation at Christmas. The word advent, from the Latin adventus, means “coming,” and we sense that something extraordinary is about to happen.
Advent is the season for us to renew our relationship with God. We journey with John the Baptist, expecting justice to flow from the mountains while committing to do our part to let it flow. We seek to work with Christ to bring restoration to the afflicted, the lonely, and the grieving, delighting in the good news that this healing has already come in Jesus. We long for the beating of swords into plowshares, rejoicing knowing the Prince of Peace is soon to come. We dream of the land where lions and lambs live in harmony, yet we acclaim the child born to lead us into the promised land.
During the season of Advent, we assume the posture of waiting. We choose to enter the story as it happened for those who came before us: with anticipation, groaning, with longing, and with hope.
The Themes Guiding Us this Advent
Our theme for Advent is Creating The Way. Each week we create the way to the Christ child by practices that center around hope, peace, joy, and love.
Our faith is one of action and contemplation. Advent is an active waiting. We spark hope, we make peace, we celebrate the goodness in our lives, and we usher in the reign of Love by caring for each other--especially "the least of these." We declare, "God is with us!" while we sing, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."
How will we create space for the Christ child in our church, our homes, and the community? Remember, the incarnation not only meant that God became Jesus; God said yes to the material universe. God said yes to physicality. We continue the incarnation any time we bear witness to the good news of Christ with our lives--words and action. We create an alternative reality--one rooted in hope, peace, joy, and love.
The Practices
Below is a list of practices that can guide us as we create the way of Christ in our lives. The list is not extensive. Remember, these practices aren’t meant to be a burden, adding one more thing to do. Instead, they help us enter deeper into a relationship with the Holy One and with each other.
- 5 candles—they don’t have to be blue or purple. All you need is 5. Use these candles to help you create space to pray and listen for the voice of the Spirit.
- A Bible—each day read from the daily lectionary. As you read, listen for a word that speaks out to you. You can use the prayer practice of “Lectio Divina” to help you in this practice. I invite you to write a poem, a small reflection, or take a picture from your day reflecting your word. Perhaps you can write a haiku!
- A Picture a Day—this is one of my favorite practices. I have a list of words that are accompanied by Scripture. You look for those words and then take a picture of it. Share to our Instagram or Facebook page using the hashtag: #1stLincolnAdventWordaday. Our Instagram handle is: fpcoflincolnil
- I plan on writing a reflection every day using the word of the day. You will be able to find this on the church blog site.
- Sit in the dark—we need not fear the dark. I love what former co-moderator of the PCUSA, Rev. Tawnya Denise Anderson, said today about darkness quoting the Rev. Dr. Wilda Gafney,
- “There is nothing inherently wrong with darkness. We need both dark and light for our health. Together [light and darkness] regulate our sleep-wake cycles, which are vital to our mental and physical health. Darkness lulls us into rest. Grief and stress also make us sleepy and want to retreat, which is probably why we so easily associate them with "darkness." To associate it with things that make us uncomfortable problematizes darkness -- not just the absence of light, but the presence of pigment. Darkness is not the problem.
- If you are preaching from Mark 13 today, tell the people that the call is not to hate or do away with the darkness, but to recognize the wake-up call that is light. As the dark calls us to rest, the light is calling us to wake up and watch for what God intends to do. That is light's role here. It's not an adversary to the dark. It's just doing its job. Wake up and keep awake.”
- Another practice I find helpful as I sit around the glow of my Advent wreath is the Ignatius examen. It invites us to find the movement of God in all the people and events of our day. The Examen is a great way to stay alert and look for the themes of the week in our daily life.
- Display a nativity scene in your home, adding new pieces to the set each week. Doing this is one more way we can embody the Advent journey. The wise people came from the east. Consider putting your figurines in the eastern part of the house. Mary and Joseph had a trip that leadsthem a long way to a stable in Bethlehem. The shepherds did, too. If you don't have all the figurines, add your own! I've seen Star Wars based nativity sets, as well as Ninja Turtle ones. What matters is the story--not the figurines!
- Advent Blessing in a Jar—a way to celebrate each day of Advent by counting the everyday things we find around the house that remind us of how blessed and thankful we are. You can pick up your Advent Blessing in a Jar sticks at church!
- Finally, challenge yourself this Advent. Who are the voices in our community, country, and across the globe that are crying out for justice? What perspective might move you to consider a different method to our life together? Where would Christ be born in our current reality? Remember, Christ came in a back alley--and not in a fancy home.
- Here are a couple suggestions to get you started. The first is an Advent devotional created by Womanist theologians. It is called "Starry Black Night." You can access it by clicking here. I am also attaching a link to one of my favorite podcasts about silence. The episode I'm sharing with you is a powerful reflection from Womanist theologian Dr. Emile Townes. [For those of you who remember Br. Paul, from the Abbey of Gethsemani, has an episode about silence that is powerful. I'm including that here, too.]
The Conclusion
My hope is that your Advent journey is one filled with joy. I hope you find ways to connect with the Divine who was, who is, and who will always be while creating space for the Christ child. May you be surprised in your journey of all the ways you encounter the Incarnation here and now.
Questions to Consider this Advent Season
Where do you notice the Spirit stirring amid the deep silence and stillness?
How are you being invited to wait with patience and faith for new life to emerge?
What might God be conceiving within you now, allowing you to be a vessel of the Divine or a host of the incarnation?
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